Seam-operating device



Oct. 8, 1968 W..A. PLUMMER SEAMOPERATING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 INVENTOK A Flaw/W66 J ATTQZA/f/Kfl United States Patent O 3,404,437 SEAM-OPERATING DEVICE Walter A. Plummer, 3546 Crownridge Drive, Sherman Oaks, Calif. 91403 Filed Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,566 5 Claims. (Cl. 24-201) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool for opening and closing a fastener wherein the fastener has a T-shaped edge engageable with a U-shaped edge. The tool has a pair of separate guides merging into a common guide wherein one of the separate guides is. expandable enabling it to be placed on one of the edges. The fastener edges are separated when they pass through the separate guides and are joined when they pass through the common guide.

This invention relates to devices for assisting in opening and closing seam-forming tapes and more particularly to an improved tool for this purpose featuring means for the more expeditious threading of seam-forming tapes into the tool and for effecting the release of the tapes from the tool at any time. The device is particularly suitable for use with seam-forming tapes one of which is of U-shape in configuration and the other of which has a T-head interlockable between the legs of the U-shaped tape. The present device is characterized by an elongated rigid main body formed with a pair of specially contoured channels opening through the opposite side of the main body intermediate its ends and merging with one another near the forward end of the main body. One of these channels is equipped with means positioned to spread the legs of the U-shaped member whereas the other channel includes tangs engageable with the underside of the T-head tape member to press this head into mating relation with the U-shaped legs at the forward end of the tool. To facilitate the assembly of the tape members into the tool an actuator is provided in convenient position to be depressed by the operators thumb and is effective to open one of the tang carrying jaws of the tool to facilitate the expeditious insertion of the T-head. Release of pressure on the actuator then permits a spring, or the like, to close the jaw thereby locking the T-head in proper mating position with the other seam component. Movement of the tool in one direction operates to close the tapes into interlocking engagement whereas movement in the opposite direction separates the tapes.

The wide spread use of a very strong and reliable set of seam forming tapes has been handicapped by the lack of a satisfactory easily-operated device for opening and closing this scam. Reference is had to a pair of plastic seam forming tapes comprising a U-shaped component opening laterally from one edge of its mounting web and having the legs thereof interlockable with a T-shaped head portion on the edge of a cooperating component. Tang's on the T-head and on the inner sides of the U- shaped legs slope in opposite directions and in such manner that a force tending to separate the seam forces the inclined surfaces into firmer and stronger locking engagement. Typical of this type of seam are the constructions shown in Patent 1,887,741 granted to A. H. Trotter, Nov. 15, 1932, and Patent 2,354,485 granted to C. E. Slaughter, July 25, 1944.

Slider devices as heretofore designed for use in closing such seam forming tapes together lack suitable provision for facilitating their assembly to the tapes and have been found quite unsuitable for use by laymen and other persons having infrequent need for performing the assembly operation. Furthermore, the prior art closure devices are Patented Oct. 8, 1968 so contoured and channeled as to require excessive and objectionable operating force and frequent jamming is a common experience.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a seam closing device avoiding the foregoing and other shortcomings of prior constructions. To this end a preferred embodiment of the device comprises an elongated rigid main body formed with a. pair of merging channels diverging rearwardly and opening through the opposite side walls of the main body intermediate its opposite ends. One of the channels is provided with cam means operating to spread apart the legs of the U-shaped component sufficiently to receive the head portion of the T-shaped tape member. The second channel is formed along its side walls with inwardly extending tang's engageable with the head portion of the T-shaped member and to force the T-head proper into interlocking engagement with the U-shaped tape as the fully mated tapes issue from the forward end of the tool. A wedge positioned between the two channels and lying in a plane normal to the direction of interlocking movement is effective to force the T-head out of locking engagement with the U-shaped portion when the tool is propelled in the opposite direction from that employed in closing the seam parts together.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, rugged, easily-operated handheld device for expeditiously closing and opening a pair of seam-forming members one of which is T-shaped in cross-section nestable between the tang equipped legs of a U-shaped tape component.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a handheld operating tool for use in opening and closing a pair of laterally mating seam-forming tapes and featuring a spring pressed member for opening the tool jaws to facilitate its assembly and disassembly to and from the seam forming tapes.

These and other more specific objects wil-l appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the invention tool in a typical operating position while closing the mating seam parts of a tubular jacket;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale showing constructional details;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view on enlarged scale taken along line 33 on FIGURE 2 showing a pair of tapes in the process of being threaded into the device at the start of a seam closing operation;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 on FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the two tape ends projecting to the end beyond the tool and after being interlocked with one another; and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 66 on FIGURE 5.

Referring initially more particularly to FIGURE 1 there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention tool, designated generally 10, while in. use to close a T- shaped tape component 11 between the legs of a U-shaped tape component 12, both components being heat sealed or otherwise secured to the opposite lateral edges of a length of plastic tubing 13. Closure device It) has an elongated main body 15 of the general configuration illustrated and includes a suitably shaped handgrip or support secured to its rear end by suitable fastener means 17.

As appears more clearly from FIGURES 2 and 3, main body 15 tapers generally from its rear or heel end to 3 i its forward or toe end 18 and includes a first channel 20 and a second channel 21 diverging rearwardly from a common front end outlet opening and opening outwardly through the opposite lateral sides of the main body along its midportion. The rear portions of these channels are separated by an intervening generally wedge-shaped vertically extending partition 22 having its smaller blunt end 23 located as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5.

As herein shown, main body 15 includes an upper portion 24 and a lower portion 25 rigidly secured together in any suitable manner as by pins or screws, not shown. Rigidiy sandwiched between portions 24 and 25 is a thin plate 26 having the rear ends of its lateral edges flush with the exterior surfaces of wedge shaped member 22. Its forward end includes a pointed cam-shaped nose 27 best shown in FIGURES 3 and with its nose 27 projecting forwardly substantially to the forward merged ends of channels 20, 21. The opposite edge of nose piece 27 includes a crescent shaped section 28 having a bevelled edge merging with the bevelled edge on point 27. It will be understood that camming means 26, 27, 28 extends lengthwise along the median axis of channels 20, 21 and that its function is to spread the legs of the U-shaped component 12 while advancing toward mating relationship with the T-shaped component 11.

As is made clear by FIGURES 4 and 6, the lower lateral corner of the main body is formed by a member rigidly secured to the overlying portion of the main body. The corresponding other lower edge of the main body is formed by a similarly shaped jaw component 30 having a generally circular lug 31 projecting vertically from its rear end and pivotally supported in main body part 24 by a pin 32. Jaw 30 can be pivoted through a small arc of five to ten degrees about pin 32 and is normally held firmly seated in closed position by a light compression spring 33 seated in a well 34 of the main body. Shank 35 of an actuator 36 extends through this spring and its lower end is threaded into an opening 37 of jaw 30. Actuator 36 is rotatable to vary the effective strength of spring 33 to hold the jaw in closed position. I aw 30 is closed in the full line showing thereof in FIGURE 4 whereas the dot-and-dash showing represents the jaw in open position.

The opposite sides of the forward ends of channels 20, 21 are formed with low height side walls 40, 40 and 41, 41 the adjacent edges of these walls terminating short of one another to provide a gap freely receiving the thickness of the mounting web for the two seam forming tapes. As best appears from FIGURE 5, side walls 40 and 41 converge toward one another as they approach the nose end of the tool for the purpose of guiding and pressing the interlocking portions of the seam into fully mated relationship. It is also pointed out that the adjacent edges of side walls 41, 41 of channel 21 are provided with inwardly projecting tangs 42 positioned as to engage the underside of head portion 43 of the T-shaped tape component 11 and cooperate in holding this head accurately positioned for this purpose.

The seam forming tapes 11 and 12 preferably have the general configuration best shown in FIGURE 6, the T- shaped tape 11 having a T-head portion 43 extending lengthwise of its edge formed with surfaces on its underside which diverge outwardly and toward the mounting web of the tape. Likewise, tape component has an edge of U-shape configuration. The inner end edges of its leg have inwardly and rearwardly converging locking tangs complemental in shape to those on the T-head portion 43. Accordingly, it will be apparent that as the mounting webs of the interlocked tapes are placed under tension in the plane of their mounting webs, the tangs on the U- shaped legs and on the T-head will be cammed into firm locking engagement with one another to hold the seam closed.

As is also made clear by FIGURE 6, the outlet ends of channels 20, 21 have a transverse width only sufliciently great to accommodate the interlocked portions of the seam. For this reason it will be apparent that side walls 40, 40 engage the outer base ends of the U-shaped legs and force these to the left as viewed in FIGURE 6 as the tool advances to the right as viewed in FIGURE 5. Simila'rly, tangs '42 on the adjacent edges of side walls 41, 41 engage the underside of the T-head 43 of tape component 11 and force this head portion between the leg of the U-shaped portion, these legs being held apart rearwardly 0f the forward end of the tool by reason of camming member 26 and its pointed end 27.

The use and operation of the described seam on operating device 10 will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of its components. Threading of the two tape components 11 and 12 into the tool is an easily performed operation. The tool is grasped in the users right hand as the left hand is used to insert the forward, or left hand end of U-shaped component as viewed in FIGURE 1, forwardly through the rear end of channel 20. Normally, this end is inserted until an inch or so projects from the nose end 18 of the tool. The operator then places his thumb against thumb piece 36 and depresses it in opposition to spring 33 to open movable jaw 30 downwardly about pivot pin 32. While the jaw is held open, the forward end of the T-shaped tape component 11 is inserted forwardly through the rear end of channel 21 care being taken to hold the upper edge of the head portion against the upper side of channel 21. As the forward end of the T-head tape issues from the tool it will be fully assembled within the protruding end of the U-shaped tape 12. The operator may now release the pressure on actuator 36 allowing spring 33 to close jaw 30 upwardly against the underside of main body part 24. The protruding forward end of the assembled seam being suitably anchored, the operator merely pulls rearwardly on handgrip 16 progressively closing the seam parts together in an effortless manner. During this operation the U-shaped legs continue to be spread as they pass forwardly over the rear end of camming means 26, 27, 28 and as tangs 42 on side walls 41 progressively press the T-head of component 11 into assembled relation between the spread apart U-sha'ped legs. As the tape is about to issue from nose end 18, the U-legs pass beyond spreader plate 27 and are pressed closed toward the stem of T-head 43.

If device 10- is assembled in the manner just described to a length of scam which has been closed, it is a simple matter to open the seam rapidly simply by moving tool 10 in the opposite direction lengthwise of the closed seam. The components then operate in the reverse manner of that described above to spread the U-legs out of locking contact with the T-head and then spreading these two tape components laterally apart. The latter function is performed by the diverging lateral faces of the wedgeshaped member 22, an action best illustrated in FIG- URE 3.

Removal of the device from the seam is accomplished very simply and preferably by first depressing actuator 36 to open jaw 30 downwardly permitting tangs 42 to be disengaged from T-head 43. The device is then moved rearwardly along U-shaped component 12 until the device runs off the free end thereof.

While the particular seam operating device for closing and opening seam forming tapes herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A seam-operating device for use in opening and closing first and second interlocking seam-forming components of the type having a T-shaped first component interlockable between the inwardly hooked legs of a complementally shaped second component, said device comprising an elongated main body provided with support means projecting therefrom, said main body being formed with first and second channels opening through the opposite lateral sides of said main body forwardly of the rear end of the latter and merging with one another prior to opening through the front end wall of said main body, the forward outer sides of said first and second channels each having low-height side flanges projecting toward one another but having their adjacent edges spaced apart sufiiciently to accommodate the mounting web of a respective one of said first and second seamforming components, cam means mounted centrally of said first channel operable to spread the legs of said second component to receive the T-head of said first component, the side flanges of said second channel having inwardly projecting tangs thereon positioned to lie along the opposite sides of T-stem and to engage beneath the T-head of said first component and operating to insert the latter between the legs of said second component, and means for expanding the bottoms of said second channel away from one another to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of said first component into and from said second channel.

2. A seam operating device as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said second channel is formed by a pair of relatively movable portions of said main body,

and operating means for one of said relatively movable parts positioned for movement by the operators hand while grasping the support for said seam operating device.

3. A seam operating device as defined in claim 2 characterized in the provision of spring means for normally holding said relatively movable parts in the closed position thereof.

4. A seam operating device as defined in claim 3 characterized in the provision of pivot means operatively connecting said relatively movable parts together on an axis extending crosswise of said main body.

5. A seam operating device as defined in claim 3 characterized in the provision of manually operable means for opening said parts away from one another about said pivot axis and positioned to be engaged by the operators thumb while grasping said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,793 10/1956 Sander.

2,879,573 3/1959 Ulrich.

FOREIGN PATENTS 887,552 1/ 1962 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

